Vane propeller



Feb. 16, 1954 l A. l.. AKRE VANE PROPELLER Filed Sept. 6, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet l in vENon ARTHUR L.' AKRE L" "6: ATTORNEY5- Feb. 16, 1954 Filed Sept. 6, 1949 A. L. AKRE VANE PROPELLER suV 5 sheets-sheet 2` APW-IUI? L. AKRE glib/www@ A. L. AKRE VANE PROPELLER Feb. 16, 1954 5 sheets-sheet 5l Filed Sept. 6, 1949 Hin INVENTOR AR77'UP L. AKH' Feb. 16, 1954 A. L. AKRE 2,669,309

VANE PROPELLER Filed Sept. 6, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 mvENroR ART/1M? L. AKRE IMM@ A. L. AKRE VANE PROPELLER Feb. 16, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 6, 1949 Qsl--. Il Il) mveuroR ARTHUR L. AKRE A-rToRME'vsV Patented Feb. 16,., 1954 This invention relatesto Anovel vane typei pro.- pellers and 'oscillating meanslfor ,feathering the varies of saidpropellers. `Vane type propellers have not beensuccessfully 'appliedl to .craft,.such as boats., or aircraft, as propulsion means because-of .their lowefliciency. Considerable ofthe ,inputpower isv used, up. in overcoming the forcesl-'thatact on theyanes Athat are Ynot exerting, their surfacesin .a` .power` .thrust against the vmedium .,in.. which.` the propeller is operating. When a .propellerv Withstationary vanes .or paddles, such as a paddle Wheel, is yoli-- served rotating` in Waterf .it..wil1. be seen thatthe bladesy exert ar` pushy .for but .a .small` fraction of theiri'ctation.V For the ibalance ofthe revolution, they. are either pushing against,` down onor lifting up the medium.

It is the main purpose of... this invention to overcome these difficulties. Suitable meansis providedior causing eachvanetofrotate ina planetary manner with. yrespect to. .the 'general rotationV of the propeller.- The means for rotating the vane is designed to maintain the vane suc-r stantially at right angles to the medium in which the propeller is operating during therpartvof` each revolution thereof. During theremainder ofthe revolution thevaneis gradually turned to a position which is substantiallytangential to the circle described "by the propeller. Actually, the vane is doing the most Work. When relation to the propeller circle, and it gradually turns rfrom thisposition to a tangential ,position and then back to theradialposition. It has-,been

found helpful 'if the main-body ofeachvane is made'of a flexible material so thatv the vane will. exert the maximum amount of pressure ...against it' is in its Working position,

the Vmedium when and a minimum amount of. friction Whenit is out of said position. f

One of the advantages of this invention. liesr the fact that a forV boats generally. ing veach vane is designedl for a particular pur.- pose,4that is, for heavy duty, speed, or relatively slow operation. The same' applies" to propellers.

to be used'on aircraft.'

The present propeller may incorporate means for automatically"adjusting the vanes Within., a limited 'degree Vto suit" varying load'andfspeed'v conditions. vExamples of this invention are illustrated jin the accompanying "drawings, in which",v

' Figure' 1 "isan elevation of one type" ofpropeller..

Figurev 2 v'is `a 'sidei yelevatiozrcf control mechanism-` fory controllingrthe' "vane" ofithi's propeller;

it lies radiallyinpropeller may be constructed The mechanism for rotat.v

2f Figure 3.- .is r anenlarged ,section: taken ...one the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4.is an .enlargeddetail of an alternative form of. propeller,

Figure y:5y istan velevation similartofFigurel of yet another. `rform ofA invention,

I Figurediagrammatically illustratesthe grooving iof -,a.fvane. controlfgear used the kpropeller of ,v :Figure 55 p ,Figureff diagrammaticallyillustrates :the'variious.V positions.A of; eachv ,vane 1 of 11a-propeller -asfthe latter rotates,

Figure is,affreducedsideeelevationtof the-,prof peller,y

Figure y9 -is-a-fsectioniv ,through fan. alternative form of-.driving connection .forthefpropeller vane,

Figuregl() isa; section 4taken.- onsthe line I 0-.-I 0 ofFigureQ,

Figurezl aasectiontaken onL the line fII-f-I .I ofrFiguref-S,

Figure 12 is;angenlargedqlongitudinal section taken-on the -line I 24,- I 2 oilFigure-1,.and

Figure 13 isV anaenlargededetailof thealter.- native ofEigiireiiA Referring, tofzliiguresl to 3,.)theapropeller. is z/nountedon-l a-crafuAI 'suchA las fasboat or aircraft, in. any@convenienta- :manner and. at any `desired point., In.thisfexample/theipropeller, is carried .bya pair. :of A supports `I l! which are *securedtto-.the craft; ,not .Y shown, inra convenient way,I The propeller -consists oiaipair of-'spacedhollowjarms I I and, I2 fhaving; hubs AI 3 'and I 4 Iat .theirzinner ends Which-arerOtatabIy carriedioyl the supports' I 0,as shown. The inner ends :of-these farms. are'- connected by; a L1.ube-;I'5.-- Another pair =ofarms ISfand: I .1 'projectfoutwardly fromthe hubs I 3 and. .I 4-fdiametrically opposite-fthe arms I-I @andi I2.-- In..this.example thefarms Iand' I1 .carry a-.counter-.Weight ;I Bradjacent their outer ends.

'Ay vvane-20.` hasfshafts .12 l -andJZ projecting,put-l Wardly.: from .opposite sides @thereof midway betweerrits' oppositeends. These shafts-,arefjour-f nalledl.inf-'thetarmsA II and I2, respectivelm adj acentf .their .outer vemisand shave. bevel.V gears.

23 and.. 2T'4`Lmounted thereon. r`within .said arms.; These ,gears jmesh..` with lbevel. @gears 1,215. and .26. which are. mountedon shafts. -21 -.and-. 28 extendingf. longitudinallyl of. .their respective arms-,:,havv ing bevel ,gears L 2.9 and.k 30 lon. their.. inner ends adjacent. the hubs I 3 'Ihe'vane 2`0"may be formed of solid material,

,andQIlLA A shaft .34Qextends throughfthe. arms..I I. and .I 2,-: tube 4.I 5f. and-throughl the hubIS'L-centrallyof thelattenand. gears 35 and .36"mounted-thereon. meshw-ith the .gears .2a and;,3II.

Shaft.

but it is preferably formed of a flexible material, such as canvas. In the latter case, the vane consists of a flexible body a having edges 2th which are connected to side supports e from which the shafts 20 and 2| project.

The propeller is rotated in any suitable manner. For example, the propeller illustrated in Figure 1 is provided with a gear or sprocket 38 mounted on the hub I4, and this gear or sprocket is suitably connected to a source of power, not shown, in the craft. If desired, a similar gear or sprocket may be mounted on the hub I3.

The propeller is rotated by means of the gear or sprocket 33, and the vane 20 moves around the centre of the propeller, which is represented by the hubs I3 and I4. At the same time, the vane rotates around its own axis which coincides with shafts -2I and 22. The angle of the vane in relation to the arms of the propeller at any desired point during rotation of the latter may be changed by rotating the shaft 34 which, in turn,

vrotates the shafts 21 and 28 to turn the vane shafts 2| and 22.

An automatic control is provided for changing the angle or setting of the vane 20 during rotation of the propeller. A hollow shaft 4|) is xedly connected to the hub I3 and projects into a control box 4| which is pivotally mounted on said The shaft 34 extends through the shaft 4 0, and through and beyond the box 4|. A gear 42 mounted on the shaft 4e, meshes with `a gear 43 mounted on a shaft 44 extending transversely of the control box. The latter shaft extends outside the box and has a crank 45 fixedly mounted thereon. This crank is connected by a link 41 to a lever 48 which is fixed to a shaft 43 also extending transversely of the box. An adjusting link 52 is fixedly mounted adjacent one end on the shaft 49 and extends outwardly beyond the control box. This slot 53 extending substantially longitudinally thereof. A connecting arm 54 has at one end a pin 55 riding in the slot 53, and is pivotally connected at its opposite end to a lever 56 which is fixed to and projects outwardly from a transverse shaft 51 in the same direction as the link 52. The latter shaft lies substantially parallel with the shafts 34, 44 and 49, and projects outwardly from the box and has a gear 58 mounted thereon, which meshes with va gear 59 mounted on the shaft 34 in line therewith.

Suitable means is provided for shifting the arm 54 longitudinally of the adjusting link 52. This may be accomplished by a support 62 which is Apivotally connected to the arm at 63, and extends towards and through the box. The support 62 is provided with a portion 64 extending substantially at right `angles thereto hingedly connected to the box at 65. An adjusting screw 61, see Figure 3, is threaded through a lug 68 carried by the side of the box 4|, extends freely through the portion 64 of the support 62, and has a suitable bearing 65a mounted on this end, upon which the portion 64 rests. Thus, the adjusting screw 61 may be turned in either direc tion to move the arm 54 and, consequently, pin 55 in either direction along the slot 53.

When the propeller is rotated, gear 42 turns gear 43, and the latter rotates the cam 45. This cam reciprocates the lever 48 through the link 41 and causes the adjusting link 52 to oscillate. The latter movement is transferred to the lever 56 through the arm 54. This lever turns the gear 59 back and forth, and the motion is transferred through the shafts 34, 21 and 28, and 2| link has an arcuate its and 22 to the vane 20. The degree of this turning or oscillating motion of the vane depends upon the setting of the arm 54 in relation to the adjusting link 52. The oscillating motion becomes less or greater as the pin y55 is moved respectively towards or away from the pivot shaft 49 of the link.

The position of the vane in relation to the arms II and I2 at any point during a revolution of the propeller, may be -changed by swinging the control box 4I around the shaft 40. This moves the gear 43 around the gear 42. If desired, the control rod 169 may be connected to one end of the control box at 10, the opposite end of said rod extending into the craft.

In Figure '1, the circle 15 represents the path described .by the shafts 2| and 22 of the vane 20. The position of the latter is shown at variout vpoints on this circle. Arrow A shows the direction of rotation of the propeller and -arrow B the direction of movement of the craft. When the vane is at the bottom of the circle 15 and on the Vertical centre line thereof, it lies substantially at right angles to the direction of movement of the craft. As it moves through the next quadrant of a circle, its angle changes very little in relation to the arrow B. However, in the next quadrant, the vane turns rapidly until it lies substantially parallel of the arrow B at the top of the circle. It is now tangential in relation to the circle. In the third quadrant, the angle changes little so that the vane remains substantially tangential to the circle. At the beginning of the fourth quadrant, the vane is almost at right angles to the arrow B so that, as the vane moves through this quadrant, it turns very little. At the end of this quadrant or at the bottom of the circle, the vane lies at right angles to the arrow B. Thus, in the quadrants below the horizontal centre line of the circle, the

vane lies substantially at right angles to the arrow B, while above the horizontal centre line it assumes a position substantially tangential to the circle.

it will be noted that in the fourth quadrant, the flexible body 20a of the vane `bellied out behind the supports 2te. However, in the first quadrant, the body bellies out on the opposite side of the supports. This is caused by the medium in vwhich the propeller is operating. The medium at this point is moving in the direction opposite to arrow B faster than the vane. This results in the body offering less resistance to the medium in the second and third quadrants. As the vane turns completely over in these quadrants, the body is behind the supports relative to their movement, in the third and fourth quadrants.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of one end of an adjustable type of vane. In this form of the invention, the shafts 22 and 28 of the arm I2 and the Vane, respectively, are hollow. A shaft extends through the shaft 28 and has a bevel gear 3| on its end which meshes with a bevel gear 82 mounted on a shaft 83 extending through the shaft 22, said shaft 83 having a small bevel gear t4 on its inner end.

The vane itself is formed with a body of a suitable flexible material 81, such as heavy canvas, and has edges B8 and 89 formed of a light and stiff material, such as metal. A hollow supporting member 9G is provided at each side of the vane and the material81 is adjustably connected thereto. The shaft 22 projects outward- 7X5 ly from this member midway between the ends thereof into .the..arm- I2 .ofthewpropellena In this examplafa linkS'I i is.. connected .lto each. .corner pf'.the;.vane..land lextends. :through an.. elongated slt' 92i. .the member 90 Iadiacent its .outer end.

Atlirn'buckle` 91|" is..mounte`d..in `themernber 90 atfth'e centre thereof/andthe .sleeve .'95v Vof.this trnlru'clrley has af bevV lgear.. 96"..thereon. which meshes withthegearl 84 onthesh'aft 83.1J`Screws 91""and 98 lprojct .A outwardly 'from' .the opposite ends of'trie s1eev'e .95." inznexibie eat1e..|0n-is connected `t`o .the outer. end'lof ythe screw 191,"I is looped iaroundf'a` .pulley I -IS andiextends around another' pulleyl I 02 fof' .thel outer end. .offthe meni-1 lirSUI 'ThisVY cable continues andl isgconnected to.tlie-o1'1terv end.of`the'screw..98 at'll03. Similar- 1y, La cable 06', is4 connectedfto .thelouter--end oftheserew 98; is...looped.around a. pulley |91, and extends.,aroundIanothenpuHey |98 at theoppov site .en'd of. th'e`.memb'er.t Thiscable=extends to nd'isconnected to the screw91`at. |09.l The` links 9I`jare connectedl'tolthe cables Ilandl between. the pulleys 4I 0| respectively; A -st'ayf Y terial 81'adjacent each. side .thereof 'parallel-.with the arm 9IJ.` vA'cable u into-.the arm .90.around.-asmallfpulley||4 and is connected .to the outer.. end of the .screw. 91. Anoth'ervcable |'|5.is.connected to saidstay and extends-.into vthemenilier varound a small pulley I'I'6` and "is, connected .to the. screw. 98.

' VSuitable mechanism. intdthe craft .-.so .that .'said' rody may be f turned by..a.,person .inlthe craft. Figure 13r illustrates one lway.. of doing this. The lower end of rod the turnbuckle.. vThe screw. 98lpullsthe cablev |,00"so that the link.9| .attachedtheretc is moved.

twards' the end o f the,..member'9.' Similarly, the screw 91 pulls f thev` link.. 9 I connected thereto. towards its` .v end of the member; This action stretches or f. flattens .l When -the rod. |30 is turned..-iin th'e opposite direction, theaturn'bucklel.operates1 the. material .81;`

in the. opposite manner. 'andv the .cables l| 0| and |06.; member.. sul towards each other..y a thematerialA 81 and allows .it-.tobellyout.

Figure-5 shows ;a-propeller having two varies 20, one at the ends of the arms and I2 and the other at the ends of the arms I6 and |1. In this sexample; .the mechanism -fori,adjusting..,the angle of the vanes.2|| in relationv tothe .propeller as the latter rotates is different from that illustrated-inFigures 1 and 2. A shaft |20'extends :through thearms YII and|2,' tube I5-'and tliiiough-I` the'hub I3 beyond the `'adjacent supportIO. Allin-k` |2| -is connected to thispend of theesha'ft @by means -of which; A'the` flatter may be rotated;l Afspecial control "gear y'|24 is mounted on-2the-shaft IZB-0f each ofthe arms I I and I2: Theimevchanism-in boththesearms is the same; an'd-ash` the arm I 2 has been shown in '.'section,l themechanism inthat arm'will nrnv be describedV in detail. Each gear'has `aon ronefiface thereof a plurality,.of spaced teeth`...|,forming tracksi-IZE I therebetween, see Figure .6.`..The.teeth and tracks spiral out''frorn"th`e vcentre to the edge of the uf'the required results.

extends from the rod 89v cable., I U6 f to .movev :the

aree-pulled'. towmove.I thev links 9| of each' This. slackens gear.. Itfwillfbelnoted that the teethandtracks are of diiierentlengths. A'fpinion. gear- |28=-is mounted .-adjacent-andrvin i-engagement, `with-'the gea-12124 at -each-y of two .opposite-sides thereof. Each pinion yhas:v teeth. I 29.shapedfto meshwith the tracksr |29 `.of-the gear.-

One .-.or.more of` the teeth .|29 are .always in meshwvithA one or` more vof fthetracks |26.of'the control-gear.y A yshaft |3| extends outwardly from. each pinion |231and-has .-abevelfgear. |32 on itsouter. end..meshing.with.another bevel gear |."l3.-rnountedon theshaft 22 ofthe-vane which .-.extends into thearm I2 or |1, as the caselmayf be.. yWhen,therpropeller isrotated, the pinions |28 at .each side .A thereof 'move around the adjacent controlgearsfIMl.- Asthe/teeth- |29 aremeshing with the.tracks ofthagear,4 the pinions are ro tateddnringthis time. This rotation swingsfthe vanesLZlLaround their'shafts'ZI and' 22; Ifthe pinidn..teeth are moving in the longer tracks of the control gears, the turning movement ofthe vane is .fairly slowfrelative tothe rotation ofthe propeller.- When thesaid-teeth are the yshorter. tracks, the turning movement I on thevane is much faster. means extend Yfrom the-linlr- 52| intothe craft so .thattheshaft |29 may be turned from ,Within thelatter.v This turns.thecontrol-gears |24 to change the position of thelong and short tracks thereof iny relation to the.propeller. This changesy the point duringreach revolution yof the propeller where thevanes turn rapidly and slowly...

Referring again to Figure'l, it is obvious `,that

each propeller vaneis working only when it'tis. nearthe bottomof a circular path' along which` it travels. The rest ofthe time .it is merely -moving `around to a position where it .can start again to work, Itis the mainL purpose of this inventionto move .the .vane through. the non-operative portion of. vits. i

amount of friction in which the propeller is operating Thus,f.at some points on. the tofmoveth'e .vane .aroundfits own axis, while'at other pointssl'ow. position where thel rapidand slow movements take .place andthe speed of the movement determines `the degreevof. pull of the propeller. For example, when the propeller is trying to getxits loadinto-motion, each vane would work for only a small part along its circular .pathv and :would slip. withthe least-amount of resistance possibleVv alongthe remainder thereof. It is obvious that' l,the vane.isdoingfa maximum amount of work when it is at the bottom of the vcircle on the verticalfcentre-line,..as` shown. at D ink Figure7.

W-hena lot .of'slippage is desired,.it is necessary i as vquickly as'possible' after it into aV slipping position'. the vane approachesth'e to rotate the-vane O'n-Yther other f hand, as vertical centre line at a underthesecircunflstances;v it is desirable to ro-.

tateitas'rapidlyas possible from the slipping to theworking' position'. As the load gets under Wayl andthe' strain on the propeller becomes-less, its wor-kingarc ymaybeincreased fin order to ob tain a maximum eort from the vpower, available. the planetary rotation ,Thegears |24 control of the vane. Thespiral teeth .|25 of the tracks |26farefdesigned for a particular "job, thus when arpropeller is` being installedv on. say, forlexamplefaaboat,` 1 ,the .control gears are selected` to@ give:I `Theser.I depend?f uponrlltlief moving along.

Suitable connecting- ,travelw-ith the least possible: or resistance to the medium circle, .it is desirable rapidly movement isv required.- The' the bottom of'thecircle,.

speed and power required for the particular boat on which the propeller is being installed.

Figures 9, and 11 illustrate an alternative form of pinion gear to be used with the control gears. In this alternative, a disc |40 is Iixedly secured to the shaft |3| at the end thereof adjacent a control gear |24. This disc has two arcuate slots |4| formed in its inner surface on opposite sides of the centre thereof, Isaid slots being concentric with the shaft |3|. A sleeve |42 is normally retained centrally of each slot by springs |43 and |44 in said slots. A pinion gear |41 similar to a pinion gear |28 is rotatably mounted either directly on the shaft |3| or, as shown, on a sleeve |48, projecting outwardly from the disc |49. This pinion is held in place in any suitable manner, such as by means of a nut |49 threaded on the shaft. This pinion has diametrically opposed pins |51 projecting outwardly from the face thereof bearing against the disc |46. These pins iit into the sleeves |42 of the disc |40.

The teeth of the pinion |41 mesh with the spiral teeth of a control gear |24 in the same manner as the teeth of the pinions |28. The pins |5|, sleeves |42, and springs |43 form a resilient driving connection between the pinion and the disc |40, the latter turning the shaft |3| to rotate a vane of the propeller. The springs are strong enough so that when the propeller is turning comparatively slowly or is under normal load, there is no relative movement between the pinion and the disc, However, when the propeller is rotating very fast, it is desirable not to turn the vane as rapidly as when the pro- .Y

peller is turning at a slower speed. Under these circumstances, the control gear may turn the pinion |41 rapidly, but the springs |43 give suiciently to prevent the vane from being turned as rapidly as the pinion. In fact, the vane may not turn as far as it would without this type of drive.

When the propeller is subjected to an excessive load, it is desirable to shorten the working period of the vane. by this driving connection. When the propeller is rotating, the period of drive of the vane is determined by the speed with which it turns from a slipping to a driving position, the slower the turn, the shorter the driving period. Under excess load, the springs |43 give, thus slowing down the speed of rotation of the vane and automatically shortening the drive period. As the load on the propeller eases up, the give of the springs |43 will grow less until it disappears entirely.

What l. claim as my invention is:

1. A vane type propeller comprising supporting means adapted to rotate around a central axis, a vane pivotally mounted substantially midway between its ends on the supporting means on an axis spaced from the central axis, said vane including a nexible body secured at the opposite ends of the vane and adapted to belly out on either side of the plane of the latter, and means including gear means connected to the vane for imparting a planetary motion to the vane about its axis during rotation of the supporting means, the flexible body of the vane bellying out from one side of the plane thereof during part of its revolution and from the opposite side during the remainder of the revolution.

2. A vane type propeller as claimed in claim l in which the exible body is connected at each end to an edge of relatively stiff material extending transversely of the vane.

This is done automatically f 3. A vane type propeller as claimed in claim 1 in which the vane includes a pair of spaced parallel supports, the flexible body being connected to said supports adjacent the ends thereof.

fl. A vane type propeller as claimed in claim 1 in which the vane includes a pair of spaced parallel supports between which the flexible body is positioned, and an edge of stiff material at each end of the body, said edges being connected to the supportsI adjacent the ends thereof.

5. A vane type propeller as claimed in claim 1 including means on the vane and connected to the flexible body for tightening and slackening the latter to adjust the degree o belly thereof.

6. A vane type propeller as claimed in claim 1 including means carried by the supporting means and connected to the gear means for changing the speed ofA rotation of the vane at predetermined points as it moves around the central axis.

7. A vane type propeller as claimed in claim 6 including means carried by the supporting means and connected to the speed changing means for selectively changing the predetermined points around the central axis during rotation of the supporting means.

8. A vane type propeller' as claimed in claim 1 in which the gear means for imparting a planetary motion to the vane comprises a control gear on the central axis, means normally holding the control gear against rotation, a plurality of teeth on a face or" the gear forming tracks therebetween and spiralling from the centre to the edge thereof, a pinion gear mounted on the supporting means adjacent the control gear and having teeth meshing with 'the teeth or" the control gear, said pinion moving around the control gear when the supporting means is rotating, and means connecting the pinion to the vane to cause the latter to rotate when the pinion turns.

9. A Vane type propeller as claimed in claim 8 in which some of the teeth and tracks of the control gear are longer than others.

10. A vane type propeller as claimed in claim 8 in which the teeth and tracks in the control gear start at one point and increase in length around said gear to another point and then decrease in length around to the nrst point.

11. A vane type propeller as claimed in claim S including resilient means in the connecting means yto allow a degree of relative movement between the vane and the pinion.

12. A vane type propeller as claimed in claim 8 including means operable from outside the propell for turning the control gear about the central axis to different positions.

ARTHUR L. AKRE.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

